City seeks proposals for lots in JOSANA area

The city of Rochester is looking for a private developer to buy 29 vacant residential lots in the northwest quadrant, officials announced Friday.

A request for proposals has been issued by the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development to purchase and redevelop the lots.

The properties are on Campbell, Grape, Jay, Orange, Orchard and West Broad streets in the JOSANA neighborhood, west of downtown. The neighborhood is named after the Jay Orchard Street Area Neighborhood Association.

“We have seen very positive changes take place in the JOSANA neighborhood recently, and though much work remains to be done, the initiative to develop these vacant lots into viable housing is a substantial opportunity to do even more,” Mayor Thomas Richards said in a statement.

“The city is committed to transforming JOSANA into a healthier, safer and more desirable place for families.”

The city wants to develop single-family, owner-occupied homes for a mix of incomes, officials said.